The structure described above is a typical structure of a so-called ultrasound probe, particularly of an ultrasound probe used for ultrasound diagnostic imaging. Generally, ultrasound transducers are piezoelectric elements, typically elements made of a ceramic material, where oscillations of the crystal lattice are generated upon excitation with an electric potential and generate mechanical waves in the frequency range of ultrasound acoustic waves. The frequency of the waves and the shape and the spectral composition of the generated ultrasound waves depend on the frequency, shape and spectral composition of the electric excitation pulse.
Typical ultrasound probes of the prior art are therefore composed of a structure as described hereinbefore and are connected to a remote display unit, which allows signals transmitted from the probe to be displayed, stored and processed and at the same time powers the probe.
The invention provides a highly portable probe that does not have cable connections to a remote display unit. Several attempts have been made to produce a probe of this type, and generally two types are the most investigated.
With reference to a first type, the idea of making ultrasound diagnoses with a wireless probe has been handled by providing a real portable ultrasound apparatus having a compact size with respect to conventional apparatus, such that the user can easily use the apparatus with one hand.
With reference to another type, an attempt was made to integrate the beamformer into the probe and transmit the obtained data to a remote display unit, such as an ultrasound apparatus, by radio frequency signals.
However, in both the above cases the apparatuses have considerable dimensions, have usage problems and moreover the quality of the reconstructed image is considerably poorer than that generated by conventional ultrasound apparatus.
Therefore, there is the unsatisfied need of producing an ultrasound probe for ultrasound imaging apparatus, particularly for diagnostic purposes that, by relatively simple and inexpensive arrangements, allows the probe and a remote display unit to communicate in a wireless mode, in order to facilitate the ultrasound imaging examination procedure without creating obstacles or limitations for the presence of communication cables between the probe and the remote units.